Kyrimorut, Mandalore

A'den walked slowly up to Bes, she was busy making a big pot of caf. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to apologise. He stopped moving.

"I'll have one Cyar'e." Ordo's voice rang through the quiet, and he followed it seconds later, then stopped still, when he saw his brother standing there. He braced himself for another tussle.

"Besany?" A'den's voice, slightly more gravelly than her husband's made her start, "I apologise for what I said earlier. I was totally out of order."

Ordo looked at his wife. She had been upset at the implication that she couldn't pull her weight around here, and they had talked about it; there was lots of things she could do. She was a competent and intelligent woman. It would be up to her if she accepted the apology. His lip and cheek were still throbbing, despite the Bacta and other treatment Bes'ika had lavished on him, and he was certain A'den's rib cage was still hurting him; he was still holding it. It had been a good work out.

"Accepted. Would you like a caf?" Just like that, there was a little smile on her face.

"Yes please. Three sweeteners."

"Yes. I know." She poured the caf out and gestured to the table, they all sat. Ordo was glued to his wife at the hips. She pushed the mug over to A'den.

"We used to meet for caf once every two weeks before she went to ….serve."

"I didn't know."

"We took all the necessary precautions, scanned, privacy screens, different caf shops, different times, not sitting together. It kept us…..kept me sane," she looked at Ordo, "when you were all off fighting somewhere."

Besany sipped her caf before continuing.

"The Neryssa I know would never willingly be part of the Empire, that's just not her." She looked pointedly at Ordo. "And I told Ordo that. So she must be unable to get away from them without outside help. And pretending to be with them, is her only way to survive. It's what I would do."

A'den looked at her feeling vindicated and finally finding some kind of ally. Other than Jilka. "Thank you."

He took a long drink, the caf was good.

"So when are you going for Niner and Darman?"

"Not sure yet and no you still can't come." Ordo reiterated what he had said before.

"I know."

.

Keldabe, Mandalore.

Stormtrooper Hil, or rather TX 9989, they had even changed his designation now, was on guard duty, again.

Hil didn't particularly like being a Stormtrooper; he had much preferred being a Clone Trooper even though there were a million more men like him and more being made but the latest ones weren't like him. They were different; he didn't know where they were from but they were not from Kamino.

But he didn't get a choice.

"I'm on guard duty because Sarge says it's for my own good. I talk too much." He talked into his bucket but no one could hear him. He had it on mute.

Yeah!

He didn't like guard duty; he had too much time to think when he was on guard duty and thinking upset him. He preferred taking down clankers, tinnies, whatever you liked to call them.

"Spent years taking down Clankers but now it was organics, people, beings, all the time."

He huffed.

"Don't get me wrong I will take them down, when they're going to kill me." Speaking into his bucket again, confident no one could hear him. He remembered his first battle or rather skirmish, it wasn't big enough to be called a battle, that had been against people, mainly humans who looked like him.

"I lost my first squad mates on Jan Fathal and that was a shock; we'd only just come from Kamino. Not even seen any of the galaxy. The weird "non - Jedi" Jedi, who were there, were really upset with the idea of me and my brothers. Almost like they didn't want us to be decanted."

He laughed to himself when he thought of the joking they did with their General's Padawan; she was gone now and the General. They were two of the best.

He plodded on around the perimeter. It was all quiet. The worst time. Time to think. Time to remember.

"I don't like fighting beings who sometimes beg for their lives. I hate it when they beg. I always want to please them, want to let them go. They normally hadn't done much anyway, usually got in the way of Vader. But this is my job now."

He didn't get a choice.

"My Commanders are still the same, sort of. Captain Rex has gone and we had Commander Appo in charge a lot of the time from just after Umbara, when Rex had been on a lot of "secret" missions. Sarge, sorry LT, has been promoted, and was an ARC too. He's still here though. Which is good, even though he's grumpy and occasionally moons over women, well one woman in particular, but that's a wound you don't poke, ever."

"Sarge likes his "romance" and always manages to find a willing partner whenever we have down time but they all look very similar. Blonde, petite. Kix had said that they were his 'type'."

He sighed.

"Kix was gone as well now, no one knows where, or cares. Just disappeared."

Hil had tried Sarge's, no LT's 'romance' but at the end of the day you couldn't beat a good fight with a bunch of clankers, or beings at a push.

"Sarge took me and Joc under his wing after Jan Fathal and we'd been good until Umbara and Krell. Joc had bought it there, just before we mutinied and Dogma killed that basilisk barve."

The 501st had never been the same after that but he didn't say that. Just thought it. Some thoughts were best not spoken.

"Kix nearly lost it with the Captain of all people; he'd only been trying to do his best. Hardcase never came back from that Mission with ARC Trooper Fives and Jesse. Jesse was always taking more and more risks afterwards. Then Captain Rex seemed to be replaced by Appo more and more, although I'm not sure why."

He sniggered, "Appo has the longest, straightest stick up his shebs ever."

He stopped at the corner and stamped his feet; the cold seeped into the new armour they had issued him. He started walking again.

"Then there was Tup. Dogma's batch mate, now that had been worrying. He had gone and shot a Jedi, too early, and been returned to Kamino, never to be seen again. His friend, ARC trooper Fives, he wasn't around anymore, gone mad, they said. There were rumours that he tried to kill the Emperor."

I never believed that thought Hil. Again something else you don't say out loud, even into your bucket.

"And the Sarge, he was never the same after Umbara. Kix said he was still not over 'that woman'. They always seemed to call her 'that woman', as if they were afraid to say her name. We were brothers together, so it shouldn't have been a problem. She had a name and we met once, in a bar and for a female she was fine. Better than the ones the Sarge actually went afterwards, in bars and the like. I don't understand why he didn't just go after the woman that he really wanted in the first place, instead of making do with replicas."

Hil noticed things about his Sarge; when they first met his Sarge had told him to watch what he did and follow his lead. So he had done and had never got out of the habit. His Sarge had survived some of the worst battles in the War, so it made sense to him.

"Every time we had any dealings with any medical frigates Sarge was on edge. He was especially grumpy when we had any dealings with Commandos or Clone Intelligence. Although the intel they gave was always better than Republic Intelligence, as you could actually trust it. Sarge had been hyper grumpy at the Battle of Malastare and the Zillo beast. We had Clone Intelligence with us then. I thought he was okay, more than okay actually. He was a good soldier and also seemed on good terms with Coric, Kix, and Hardcase. He sparred with Hardcase and handed out some ration bars. Tasted loads better than the ones we normally had."

His Sarge sometimes confused him.

He checked his chrono, three quarters the way through his watch now. He took another turn around the courtyard, to loosen himself up. Mandalore was not very hospitable and everyone wore helmets. He reported in all clear and muted his audio again.

"LT's not been so grumpy since coming to Mandalore. I assumed that it was his promotion that had put him in a better mood but no, it must have been something else. Then I saw her, one of the medical team. Just LT's type."

His chrono went off indicating the end of his watch and he could see his replacement walking across the Courtyard, the watery sun rising over part of the horizon.

"I hope LT doesn't fall for her. I hate dealing with the aftermath."

He yawned, reminding himself to keep an eye on LT.

"Rack time."

.

Squad room, Imperial Garrison, Mandalore.

"Zeer, Ner Vod. I didn't know you'd been posted here."

"Yep, for a couple of rotations, then onwards and upwards with Vader."

"Another pip, eh." Zeer nodded towards the coloured tag on his armour. "Good for you Coric. Lieutenant eh. Well deserved." He slapped Coric on the back, hard enough for him to take an involuntary step forward, despite his heavier build and armour.

"Still got the old armour then?"

"Yeah, that new Stormtrooper get up is a load of Osik."

"Too right, I preferred the phase two. It was more comfortable than phase one but you can't say anything around these mongrels with sticks up their shebse."

"Talking of which, still under Appo then?"

"Yep." Zeer poured himself a Caf and grunted.

"Appo, Ori'buyce, kih'kovid."

"Gar, serim."

"Nothing changes, ner vod." Coric had never really forgiven Appo after Umbara and how quickly he jumped into Rex's spot, then the Temple. "Sheb'urcyin."

Zeer laughed, "You always had a way with words, ner vod. So what's the nightlife like here?"

"Bloody awful." Coric poured himself a Caf, "There's a few Cantina's, Tapcafs, but at the moment we're not welcome in them, especially one."

"Give 'em a chance. There'll always be somebody who needs the creds from us."

Coric laughed, "Yep, there's not much else around here and Sundari is even worse. Just looks like it's been demolished." He took a long drink of his Caf. "Been there a couple of times to clear out any leftovers from Mauls' gang and his Death Watch buddies. Just in case they got any ideas but I think they've all moved on now."

"Pity about the Captain and the Commander; I have to admit, I never thought he'd be able to do it, especially after Umbara. He couldn't even kill Krell."

Coric bristled a little and just grunted.

"Hey ner vod, you still awake in there?"

"Sorry, Zeer. Still getting used to the new Commander, just got some new orders, seems alright, though. Career Soldier."

"Imperial navy?" Zeer sneered.

"Yeah, but one of the better ones. Corellian, I think."

"Does it make a difference?"

"Yeah, all the Corellian's I've met have been okay. Pallaeon, he was good. Wanted to space one of his own ensigns for being a no good, Di'kut."

Zeer sniggered, "Know the feeling sometimes. Tell me the same 'bout the Commander in a month and I'll believe you."

There was a number of groans in the room.

"Aw Fek! Was that you Drax? You been at the spiced warra nuts again?"

There was a grunt in reply.

"No body light up in here —UXB."

The squad room erupted into laughter.

Some things never change thought Coric.

.

Lessu, Ryloth

Admiral Rampart stood at the transparisteel windows overlooking the square. He was not happy with the results he had seen so far. The freedom fighters had still not given up all their arms, although the building work had gone to plan.

The clones here are as efficient as any others but here they have not been tested on Order 66. There's been no Jedi on the planet since Windu and he died on Coruscant. A few of the clones, including the Captain, had fought with the Syndulla's freedom fighters and were reticent on how involved they had been.

The clones with me, are tried and tested, and in most cases carried out the order.

The Captain, Howzer, has even refused to give up his old armour stating it was superior to that currently being issued. An ARC, known to have individualistic tendencies.

That was a battle for another day.

The Syndulla's were another obstacle.

Whereas Orn Free Taa, was just …empty space but even he could be useful.

And this was what I have to work with.

Sometimes the Emperor expects miracles.

He continued to stare out onto the square.

The Syndulla's would be here soon. Cham and Eleni, both as important and as passionate as each other in the fight for freedom for Ryloth but that freedom was moot now the Empire was here. Ryloth was needed for the greater good.

The soft knock at the door disturbed his thoughts.

"Enter."

The small blonde woman in the new uniform entered. So, she had taken Tarkin's wife's advice. He thought he would have been able to convince her fully at Raxus but no she was still holding back, perhaps here, after the Syndulla's and Taa.

"Ah. Doctor. Are your quarters okay? I know this isn't Imperial City or Raxus and it's a little …..basic."

"They're fine."

"And your Med Bay and equipment?"

"Adequate."

"Only adequate?"

"Adequate is all I need. I'll start tomorrow."

"Agreed." He looked out to the square again "I want you to examine the Captain, Howzer, first."

"Of course."

"A Level Five Atomic scanner is being delivered to your Med bay now. I trust that will be more than adequate, together with your Med droid. I understand you have programmed it yourself." He took a little pleasure in her tiny moment of shock, before she reigned it in.

"Yes, I update it regularly with the latest research on the clones. It's an older model and doesn't do auto upgrades but it's memory has never been wiped."

She stared at the window, the Towers of Lessu could be seen through it. "Why are we using level five Atomic scans, when they were banned by the Kaminoans, saying they were dangerous."

"We are not the Kaminoans."

She nodded, she could argue but she thought she knew what they were checking for. "Am I scanning for the chips, to confirm they are still functional?"

"Yes. And that they are still there?"

"Have some been removed?"

"Unknown but there has been a breakdown in a few. We need to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Of course. Any thing else sir?"

"No. Dismiss."

Ryssa headed straight out, worried she had nearly given herself away there, with the scanner. She was sure that he noticed. She headed directly to the Med Bay, but as she turned the corner there was an ARC trooper standing at the door.

"Ma'am." He held out the datapad. "The list of troopers to be examined tomorrow." He followed her into the med bay. EmDee's photoreceptors brightened, as they entered. "Including myself of course."

Ryssa couldn't help but want to smile, he had the same manner as the other ARC's she'd known; the easy self confidence, the swagger but no Kama. She shut down those memories.

"So, Captain to Captain, what's the reason for the exams? We're healthy, all clones are." He had an easy going manner that she would have normally responded to but no longer.

"It's Doctor Baey." A few months ago, she would had said 'call me Ryssa', he sounded so much like Rex and Coric.

"Of course, Doctor."

"If I find anything. I'll tell you."

He still smiled at her, as he left the med bay.

"Definitely ARC."

.

Kyrimorut, Mandalore.

"Kriff!" Mereel exclaimed. He had been trawling through data packet after data packet, looking for any anomalies, when Jaing's facial recognition system had hit the jackpot. He nearly choked on his last bite of Ny's Uj cake, her second attempt and it was getting better, the first wasn't that bad. She was really trying to impress Kal'Buir but she didn't have to; everyone could see he was already going down that road.

Kom'rk straightened up from the lounging he was doing.

"What is it ner vod?"

He zoomed in on the figure standing at the rear of the balcony, almost hidden in the shadows and with the Imperial cap pulled far down but not quite enough. He highlighted the face, just to make sure.

"Look. That's her, Neryssa." He twisted the screen around.

"Yeah?" Kom'rk pulled his chair up and leaned in closer, "You're right, it's her." He recognised her despite having only seen her via hologram. "What the Fek is she doing there?"

Mereel shrugged, "I'll call Buir and Ordo."

.

Ny followed Kal and Ordo into the Data Room; she'd never been in here for long, just visited; it was the Nulls space as it was their area of expertise but she recognised the face they had zoomed into on the screen. It was A'den's wife. She heard Kal's sharp intake of breath, as she stood right next to him, without thinking she slipped her arm through his.

"Where is she?" Ordo asked. Already considering if a retrieval was possible.

"Raxus."

"The Separatist's Senate home world?"

"What the hell is she doing there?"

"Good question Buir. She doesn't look happy."

"No Imperial looks happy." Kom'rk added.

Mereel zoomed the image out, "No. Looking at her body language, she doesn't want to be there, or even be seen there."

"Glad you said 'Body Language' otherwise I would have avenge my sister in law's honour." Kom'rk deadpanned.

"Find A'den." Muttered Kal, ignoring their banter.

"I'm here." He moved nearer the screen, eyes fixed on the image of his wife. "She wants to get out. She was waiting for us. They must have sent her there for some reason. But for what? Why? Who's in charge there?"

Too many questions. Thought Kal. He just needed to protect his own.

Mereel zeroed in on the other Imperial on the balcony. "The name's Captain Bragg, recently promoted, previously Republic Navy. Nothing special."

"No, who's in charge of them?" Pushed A'den.

"A few names are coming through but it's difficult to get more up to date Imperial info, a lot of it's old Republic Intel." Mereel was sifting as fast as he could. "Tarkin and Vader are top of the list but Vader is more hands on with the old 501st. Rooting out Ex- Jedi." Niner had kept them up to speed with the 501st. "There's a lot of secret projects out there….."

Rooting out Jedi? That made his ears prick up.

"Let's see what else we can get. How old is this?" Kom'rk joined his brother on another screen.

"Three days."

"Shab!"

"See if you can get anything more up to date." A'den was next to them now, all three of them working on it. The fact they had found something spurred him on.

"On it, vod. let's find something. There's got to be something more out there."